Bird count along the Bosque River Trail August 22, 2026. Belted Kingfishers and Nutria.

Weather - mostly sunny, some high clouds to the north, no wind, temp ~80 degrees at 7:10am. Supposed to be 106 degrees today.

Bird count - The number of bird types and bird numbers was low today.

Belted Kingfishers - I saw a Belted Kingfisher today near the puddle where the Barred Owls were a few weeks ago. The bird flew downstream with the characteristic chittering of Belted Kingfishers. I went back to the trail and sat on a bench. I could still hear the belted Kingfisher to my right. At the same time I heard another Kingfisher chittering away to my left. I guess we can add Belted Kingfishers to the list of wildlife taking advantage of the fish trapped in the drying river puddles.

Yellow Rumped Warbler - I saw a brown bird with yellow patches of color at various places on its body. It looked like a Yellow Rumped Warbler. Yellow Rumped Warblers are fairly common along the BRT, but usually in the winter months. Its an odd time for these warblers to be here, so maybe its another type of bird.

Nutria - I saw a Nutria in the spring water that runs under the bridge before the hill. I’ve never seen Nutria this far up the river.

Brown Snakes - There were two brown snakes in the drying puddle near the bridge. I watched one snake catch a Perch. The other snake was chasing fish, but it didn’t catch one while I was watching.

Types of birds - 16 - 19 Numbers of birds - 89 - 90

Number‍ ‍Type

32 House Sparrows

13 Grackles

8 Cardinals

6 House Finches

6 Barn Swallows

2-3 Bluejays - heard but not seen

2 Starlings

2 Belted Kingfishers - one I saw, one I only heard

2 Mockingbirds

2 Mourning Doves

2 Sparrows - type unknown

2 White Winged Doves

2 Doves - type unknown - flying

1 Green Heron

1 Great Blue Heron

1 White Eyed Vireo

1 Bluebird

1 Mississippi Kite

1 Red Shouldered Hawk

1 Small brown bird with yellow patches - looked like a Yellow Rumped Warbler

1 Unknown - medium sized gray bird